Key Takeaways
- Girls’ participation in flag football jumped 55% from 2022 to 2023, reaching 1.6 million players nationwide according to the National Sporting Goods Association
- Division I Cabinet approved women’s flag football for the Emerging Sports for Women program on Wednesday at the NCAA Convention
- Sport needs 40 NCAA varsity programs within 10 years to qualify for championship status, up from roughly 65 programs currently at varsity or club level
- ECAC will launch a women’s flag football league next month backed by $1 million from the Jets through the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
- Flag football makes its Olympic debut in 2028, accelerating NCAA and NFL support for the sport’s development
NCAA Clears Path for Championship Competition
The Division I Cabinet voted Wednesday at the annual NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C., to add women’s flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program, effective immediately. Teams at schools sponsoring the sport this spring will count toward the 40-program threshold required for the NCAA to consider establishing a championship.
The Emerging Sports for Women program, launched in 1994, has successfully elevated sports including rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling, and beach volleyball to varsity status across NCAA divisions. Women’s wrestling, the most recent addition to gain widespread varsity recognition, will hold its first sanctioned NCAA championship this year in Coralville, Iowa.
For flag football to reach championship status, at least 40 NCAA programs must sponsor the sport as a varsity offering within 10 years while meeting minimum requirements for games played and player participation. According to NCAA data published last year, approximately 65 schools operated flag football teams at either the varsity or club level.
Conference Investment Signals Varsity Expansion
The Eastern College Athletic Conference announced it will launch a women’s flag football league starting next month, funded by a $1 million investment from the Jets through the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation. The league represents the first multi-school conference structure since the Division III Atlantic East Conference held a full varsity season last year, culminating in the first conference championship for the sport.
Several Division I schools have already launched or announced plans to field varsity women’s flag football teams, including Alabama State, Long Island, Mercyhurst, Mount St. Mary’s, UT Arlington, and Cal Poly. Additional programs across Division II and Division III have established varsity teams in recent years.
Jacqie McWilliams-Parker, commissioner of the CIAA, a Division II HBCU conference, stated last year that she aims to introduce flag football as a varsity sport during the 2026-27 academic year. Division I commissioners including Sherika Montgomery of the Big South and Jim Phillips of the ACC have publicly acknowledged they are monitoring the sport’s growth.
Participation Surge Driven by Youth and Olympic Momentum
The National Sporting Goods Association reported that girls’ flag football participation increased 55% from 2022 to 2023, reaching 1.6 million players. The NFL estimates approximately 20 million people across 100 countries currently play flag football or variations of the sport.
Flag football’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles has accelerated institutional support from both the NCAA and NFL. The NFL promoted flag football during the 2025 Super Bowl with dedicated commercials and has actively assisted colleges in launching teams. The league also transitioned the Pro Bowl to a flag football format, drawing 4.7 million viewers last year, comparable to NBA All-Star Game viewership.
Timeline and Requirements for Championship Status
Women’s flag football now follows the established pathway other emerging sports have taken to secure NCAA championships and Tournament competition. The 10-year window to reach 40 varsity programs aligns with the timeline that preceded championship status for previous emerging sports.
Schools adding flag football this spring contribute to the 40-program count immediately under the Cabinet’s approval. Programs must maintain minimum standards for schedule length and roster participation to qualify, specifications detailed in the Emerging Sports for Women program guidelines.
The 2028 Olympic debut creates a natural milestone for the sport’s development trajectory. With conference structures forming, varsity programs expanding across divisions, and youth participation climbing, the framework exists for flag football to meet championship requirements well before the 10-year deadline.
photo: NBC
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